


My Darkness and Your Darkness

by Oh_Toasty



Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: BAMF Tony Stark, Gen, M/M, Non human Tony Stark, Secrets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-04
Updated: 2017-02-04
Packaged: 2018-09-21 21:44:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9568037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oh_Toasty/pseuds/Oh_Toasty
Summary: In which Loki and Tony meet in the void.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry this is so short and not well composed. I've had really bad writers block and this is the first thing I've turnt out since September. So four months later, here you are.

He falls through the void for eternities, passing by the things that cannot be contained by Yggdrasil. He watches as he passes by worlds, unknown to the nine realms. He sees sights he never would have imagined and, unbeknownst to him, he travels amongst time, weaving in and out and never knowing.

“ _How curious_ ” a deep gravely voice says and it makes his bones tremble. “ _We don't often get visitors here. Where do you hail from?”_

“Yggdrasil.” The response is torn from Loki’s lips without any consideration from him.

“ _So you're a godling?_ ” The voice says traveling with Loki as he falls, falls, falls, and the cold nothingness begins to seep into his bones. “ _What do they call you?”_

“Yes,” Loki breaths. “I'm Loki.”

Then the voice is gone, and Loki continues to fall, all alone until he is found.

•••

_The godling falls through the void and he follows him through several time periods, watching and wondering. He does not know how the god survives, he has seen nothing besides his own kind survive the void without protection._

_“_ Yggdrasil _”, the godling tells him and he has already made up his mind:_

_He wants to learn more about the godling, and about where he comes from._

_Turning, he swims up the time stream and towards Yggdrasil until he is certain he is far enough back that he will have time to find the godling._

_He descends upon the branches of Yggdrasil._

_•••_

The night sky burns as an asteroid comes tearing through the atmosphere, it burns brighter than the sun and if were someone to look at it it would burn their eyes beyond belief; yet somehow no one sees. The crater makes its impact on Midgard, sending tidal waves throughout the oceans and sweeping away civilizations.

No one can find the asteroid later, all they find is a crater with deep depressions leading away from it.

Most dismiss the strange extra marks, but some, some believe it is the trail left by a visitor to earth.

•••

Howard Stark appears out of nowhere as a twenty year old man who takes the world by surprise. Stark industries slowly begins to build itself from the ground up, weapons evolving beyond people's wildest dreams underneath his hardworking hands.

By the time the second World War strikes, there is no other company the military would even consider buying from and Howard finds himself brought into a secret project, to create a super soldier.

He complies, more out of interest in human science than anything else. He finds it fascinating, so different and yet similar to the magic of his kind. He allows himself to build this soldier alongside Erskine, allows himself to participate in human wars, because it is all so different from his home in the void and he wishes to experience it all.

The void was empty except for his kind and they were not a sociable group.

•••

“Steve Rogers,” Peggy Carter says to him, shaking her head. “He was a stubborn arse, but he gave his life to save us.”

Howard's eyes twinkle, “I wouldn't be so sure about that.”

Peggy's head snaps towards him, “Explain yourself, Howard!”

“It's possible the serum, combined with the arctic cold is preserving him.” Howard tells her. He does not tell her he has seen pieces of the time stream, has seen him standing near Loki and thus knows he is still alive somewhere.

Peggy is staring at him wide eyed.

“Don't worry, I'm already gathering a search team.”

He does not tell her that he probably won't be found in her lifetime, after all it doesn't affect him.

•••

He meets her at some societal function where her dark stack of curls and her steely grey eyes draw his eye. That's not what holds his attention however, his captivating stems from her necklace which features a small, genuine dagger and on the hilt is a snake wrapped around a wolf’s neck. He has seen this symbol once before, on Loki’s vambrace and now he is intrigued.

“And what may I call you?” Howard asks sidling up besides her.

She smiles softly as he buys her a drink, “Maria Carbonell.”

“Beautiful name, well chosen.” Howard says as he passes her some whiskey. “And what do they call you on your home realm?”

Maria's smile fades quickly. “Who are you?”

“A traveler who has made my home here,” Howard informs her. “Don't worry, I'm not going to tell anyone, I'm simply curious.”

“I am called Angrboða,” she admits, “What about you, Stark?”

His answer is horribly foreign, it is both a roar that makes her bones rattle and a whisper that sends a shiver down her spine. She looks around cautiously, as if looking for others reactions and is shocked to find that there are none. She is the only one who has heard him.

“I believe I shall stick with Howard.”

•••

They become quick friends, Howard favoring Angrboða’s quick tongue and tricky mind. Eventually, the two reach an agreement regarding their plans to stay on Earth.

Angrboða lays on his bed and plays in the air with her steel grey magic. “Once we’re married, will the first child be your next disguise, or mine?”

“Mine I should think,” Howard replies not bothering to look up from the missile plan he's working on. “Seeing as you aren't sure how long you'd like to stay on Earth and this gives you longer to decide the worth of cultivating another identity.”

“Fair enough” Angrboða agrees. “When will you be making the marriage announcement?”

“I thought we could do host a press conference tomorrow,” Howard says, looking up questioningly.

“Tomorrow it is.”

•••

“I tire of Midgard,” Angrboða informs him, flopping down upon the bed that she has claimed as her own since realizing Howard does not need sleep. “I will probably remain for only twenty more years.”

“Where will you go?” Howard asks, “You cannot return to Asgard, can you?”

Angrboða rolls her shoulders out, “I will return to Jotunheimr most likely.”

“I suppose we should start having children soon,” Howard muses. “Would you like to cast the enchantment or shall I?”

“I will,” Angrboða tells him, “A slow growing illusion correct?”

“Preferably starting at three months so we can make the announcement soon,” Howard adds.

“Done,” Angrboða informs him.

•••

The birth of Anthony Edward Stark is announced on May 29, 1970. He's a strong, healthy boy and the paparazzi takes many photos of his parents looking down at him adoringly.

As soon as the couple makes their way into their home, the baby illusion disappears and they go about their separate ways.

•••

Howard is driving Angrboða back to their mansion after a party and they're arguing.

“One simple tracking spell!” He tells her, “So that it's easier to find you if you're in trouble.”

“I am going home!” She objects, “There will be no trouble!”

“Angrboða-”

He's cut off when the car spirals out of control and slams the passenger side into a tree, Angrboða and all.

“Angrboða,” he tells desperately, as he unbuckled and starts to climb over to her. “Are you well?”

She does not reply and he turns her to face him. To his horror, he finds that the crash has driven her dagger necklace through her heart.

Howard steps out of the car, his mind blazing with rage. He has lost his first and only friend, and he intends to find out why.

He comes face to face with a familiar visage, one he had thought lost more than thirty years ago.

“Barnes,” he says and the man's hands come up to cradle his face jerking it to the side and breaking Howard's neck.

He watches from the side, having already separated himself from that body. Seeing the form he's occupied for so long fall to the ground is interesting, but it is Barnes that consumes his mind.

It is only because he has seen the timeline, seen Hydra’s manipulation of the man, that he does not tear him apart limb by limb.

Still, he swears vengeance for Angrboða.

•••

Stark Industries grows under Tony’s thumb, thriving on weapons that stem from rage.

He is rage and invention and slowly he is consuming the earth.

•••

The lie of Tony Stark is thirty eight years old when he goes to Afghanistan and is blasted by his own weapons. In this false, mortal form he is injured and thus he sleeps as his wounds heal.

He awakens with a magnet in his chest and the knowledge that he will not allow mortals to harm him ever again.

He creates the arc reactor, imbued with the magic of his kind, and places it in the hole in his chest. With that done, he focuses his rage and he builds.

When he escapes, it is alone. Yinsen is dead and Tony curses the weakness of mortals.

•••

Obadiah tries to paralyze him, and take his reactor. Tony leaves him squirming and pulls out his heart.

•••

A man of metal takes to the sky and the headlines read as follows: Who is Ironman?

•••

Some people put it together, most don't. Tony purposely installs a stealth mode into his suit that he can return home without people seeing where the suit goes.

He keeps Jarvis on the alert, watching Shield and keeping him updated. So far, only Fury has guessed who Ironman is.

•••

Stark Tower is not his idea, not truly. Stark tower is simply a fragment of the future brought to being through his fingertips.

He knows this is where he saw Loki standing.

“ _This is it,”_ Tony whispers in his true voice, the blackness of the void creeping through in his eyes and mouth. “ _The time is coming”._

•••

“Sir,” Jarvis says and Tony gives him all of his attention. “Loki has been spotted in Stuttgart, Germany.”

“Get me a suit,” Tony demands and he's wrapped in the precious gold-titanium alloy that will fly him to Loki.

He's in the air within moments, a small grin on his lips.

He's waited years for this moment.

•••

He goes to Stuttgart as Ironman, fights Thor, and arrives in the helicarrier all in his suit. Then he disappears off into a room that he wards with magic to prevent entry.

“Where are you heading?” Rogers asks him, “We need to discuss Loki!”

“Suit maintainence,” Tony tells him, and then he is gone, calling Fury up in the silence his room.

“Who the hell is this?” Fury growls into his phone. “I'm in the middle of a crisis.”

“I'm aware,” Tony tells him. “That's why you'll tell everyone you invited me to track the tesseract when I get there.”

•••

As he searches for the tesseract, he learns two things: he likes Doctor Banner, he truly does, and secondly, technology can be horribly constricting.

He would have found the tesseract by now, if he was using magic, but he knows that he can't with Thor and Loki around to detect it. Still, he's determined to find the tesseract as soon as possible so that he can go see the godling who drew him to Yggdrasil.

•••

A tremor shakes the helicarrier and Tony stills, a wide grin appearing on his face. He had known his little godling wasn't done yet.

“Someone get Ironman,” Fury yells, “We need him to fix the engine.”

“I'll get him,” Tony yells running towards the room where his suit waits.

•••

They fix the engine and discover Loki's true destination. Tony cannot help but laugh at the fact that the godling managed to choose his tower yet does not know who he truly is.

“Suit up,” Rogers instructs the others as Tony flies to New York with the intent of reaching Loki first.

•••

He takes off his armor as he strolls into the room Loki waits.

“Have you come to appeal to my humanity?” Loki asks and Tony laughs and laughs.

“ _I wouldn't know how_ ” Tony tells him in his true voice and watches as the godlings body locks up in shock.

Loki's face has turned an ashen white, “Its you, the creature of the void! I thought I'd dreamed you”.

“ _Even a curiousity like you couldn't dream of a being like me,”_ Tony informs him. “ _Now tell me, why have you attacked Earth?”_

“The Titian, Thanos,” Loki breaths. “He coerced me, forced me to.”

His body trembles as though he can sense that the being near him is dangerous.

“ _Good, that means my initial assessment was correct: you weren't malicious in intent after all.”_ Tony hums, “ _I do so hate to be wrong.”_

“What are you, what do want with me?” Loki asks.

Tony steps closer, a grin filled with the void cutting through his face, _“I am a void dweller, my kind don't have realms or homes like you: only the abyss. As for what I want, you intrigue me, I want you to stop fearing me_.”

Loki arches a brow, “And why should I? I can already tell you're more deserving of my fear than the Titian and you have yet to harm me.”

“ _I'm not here to hurt you Loki_.” Tony’s eyes are black too. “ _I like you. I simply want to end the invasion and then we will talk.”_

“Very well,” Loki agrees, “I shall close the portal.”

•••

Loki does as he told Tony he would while Tony suits up and fights off the Chitauri with the other Avengers.

Once they have won, the Avengers go out to shawarma with a surrendered Loki trailing behind in cuffs. Loki stays silent, his eyes tracking Tony not in fear, but curiousity.

He does not understand why the man with more power than the Titian fought aliens with nothing but a metal suit.

•••

Tony's lie ends as most things are wont to end, with a group of superheroes eating Shawarma after a battle.

“So,” Tony says, breaking the careful silence the Avengers are eating in. “Loki. How'd you survive the void?”

The other Avengers halt, they do not know what he means by the void, but they are curious. Thor hand grips Mjölnir slackly.

“I do not know,” Loki replies, glad he has not yet been muzzled. Something tells him the void creature can be his salvation. “Perhaps it was my magic.”

Tony hums, “What is your kind called then?”

Thor chimes in, “We are Aesir!”

“No, not you Thor.” Tony chides, “I was asking Loki.”

Slowly, Loki's skin fades blue, “I am of Jotunheimr, a Frost Giant.”

“Jotunheimr,” Tony muses.

He stands, ignoring the weapons that are pointed at him for his sudden movement.

“Come then, that will be the first stop in our search.”

“Your search for what, Stark?” The Black Widow has one brow delicately arched. “You can't take our prisoner.”

“To see how he survived the void of course,” Tony's voice remains even. “And of course I can take him; you can't stop me.”

Tony's hand drops down into Loki’s shoulder and they are gone, off to explore the mysteries of the universe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't like the ending, but it's the best I'm gonna get.


End file.
